"It has now transpired that the Prime Minister – who represents an Oxfordshire constituency – recently wrote a private letter to Ian Hudspeth, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, to complain about local cuts."

The Prime Minister and the Chancellor claim that low income households will not lose out if the Conservatives go ahead with slashing tax credit payments. They continue to argue that the low-paid will be more than compensated through a package of other changes including increases in the minimum wage (renamed as the so-called "national living wage"), the increase in the tax-free allowance and increased childcare support.